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This is Devon -- A referendum on Europe should take place because the public no longer trusts prime ministers and governments over the issue, a former SDP leader said today. Lord Owen, who served as foreign secretary to James Callaghan, said the European Union (Referendum) Bill proposed the wrong date for the poll, insisting it should happen early next year ahead of the general election. But speaking in the second reading debate on the Bill in the Lords, he said such a referendum was inevitable. "I think this is a gimmick in many respects," he said. "However why are we here? We are here because successive prime ministers have given commitments to hold a referendum and then haven't done so. "The country does not trust us. On this issue of Europe they have seen party after party manoeuvre, manipulate and they don't believe it, and they don't actually believe even if they say at a general election in a manifesto there will be a referendum, whether there will be one. "Under these circumstances it seems to me not unreasonable, because it is the settled will of the British people in my judgment, that there is going to be a referendum." Lord Owen said he believed it was perfectly possible to open up negotiations with European partners immediately because it was recognised on the continent an early end to questions of British membership would be good for stability. In a climate where the eurozone was still not secure, resolving the issue should be an urgent priority, he said. Lord Owen criticised the politics of the Conservatives' strategy but reiterated his view the referendum was inevitable. He said: "I personally believe this has improved Ukip's chances and I think the politics of the Prime Minister's decision to have this was wrong but that's his judgment... it is a fact this Bill comes to us not having been contested in the House of Commons. "Neither the Liberal Democrats or the Labour Party want to break cover and say they are not going to have a (referendum). The reason is that its quite obvious the general public want one. My advice is to do it."
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This is Devon -- A referendum on Europe should take place because the public no longer trusts prime ministers and governments over the issue, a former SDP leader said today. Lord Owen, who served as foreign secretary to James Callaghan, said the European Union (Referendum) Bill proposed the wrong date for the poll, insisting it should happen early next year ahead of the general election. But speaking in the second reading debate on the Bill in the Lords, he said such a referendum was inevitable. "I think this is a gimmick in many respects," he said. "However why are we here? We are here because successive prime ministers have given commitments to hold a referendum and then haven't done so. "The country does not trust us. On this issue of Europe they have seen party after party manoeuvre, manipulate and they don't believe it, and they don't actually believe even if they say at a general election in a manifesto there will be a referendum, whether there will be one. "Under these circumstances it seems to me not unreasonable, because it is the settled will of the British people in my judgment, that there is going to be a referendum." Lord Owen said he believed it was perfectly possible to open up negotiations with European partners immediately because it was recognised on the continent an early end to questions of British membership would be good for stability. In a climate where the eurozone was still not secure, resolving the issue should be an urgent priority, he said. Lord Owen criticised the politics of the Conservatives' strategy but reiterated his view the referendum was inevitable. He said: "I personally believe this has improved Ukip's chances and I think the politics of the Prime Minister's decision to have this was wrong but that's his judgment... it is a fact this Bill comes to us not having been contested in the House of Commons. "Neither the Liberal Democrats or the Labour Party want to break cover and say they are not going to have a (referendum). The reason is that its quite obvious the general public want one. My advice is to do it."
Reported by This is 9 hours ago.
